Portable driver for fasteners



May 22, 1962 w. LATSCH ETAL PORTABLE DRIVERFOR FASTENERS 3 Sheets-Sheet1 I Filed June 9, 1961 INVENTORJ L 4 715cm fiflEZLEE,

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May 22, 1962 w. LATSCH ETAL 3,035,269

PORTABLE DRIVER FOR FASTENERS Filed June 9, 1961 3 Sheets-Sheet 2 INV ENTORS WILL/AM LA rscfl Ila/vs 4405.44.52,

BY 2 3a $2 8 32 74 24 3g 47"?0164/635.

y 1962 w. LATSCH ETAL 3,035,269

PORTABLE DRIVER FOR FASTENERS Filed June 9, 1961 3 Sheets-Sheet 3 W/LLMMLJ ZEZ A fl/VS 44054452, BY

WMMHQD United States Patent Filed June 9, 1961, Ser. No. 116,200 9Claims. (Cl. 1---49) This invention relates to a novel portable driverfor fasteners, such as pronged disc fasteners for securing roofing paperand the like in place.

The primary object of the invention is the provision of an efficient,practical, fast-acting and easily used device of the kind indicated,which saves substantial time and labor over that involved in the manualplacing and nailing of fasteners, as ordinarily practiced, drives thefasteners more securely, and does a neater job.

Another object of the invention is the provision of a device of thecharacter indicated above involving magazine means, composed of aplurality of fastener holders, the magazine means being rotatable tofeed fasteners from selected holders to a fastener positioning slidehaving an opening into which fasteners are fed, the slide being operableby depression of the hammer of the device to move fasteners one at atime into position beneath the hammer.

Other important objects and advantageous features of the invention willbe apparent from the following description and the accompanyingdrawings, wherein, for purposes of illustration only, a specific form ofthe invention is set forth in detail.

In the drawings:

FIGURE 1 is a side elevation of a device of the present invention;

FIGURE 2 is an edge elevation of said device, looking from left to rightin FIGURE 1, portions being broken away and in section;

FIGURE 3 is a vertical longitudinal section taken on the line 3-3 ofFIGURE 2, showing the hammer and a fastener feeding plunger in elevatedpositions;

FIGURE 4 is a top plan view of the device;

FIGURES 5, 6 and 7 are horizontal sections taken on the lines 5-5, 66and 7-7, respectively, of FIGURE 2;

FIGURE 8 is a fragmentary view, like FIGURE 3, but reversed relativethereto, showing the device engaged with such as tar paper for driving afastener through the tar paper into a roof board, fasteners beingpresent in a holder and a single fastener being in place in the slideopening and registered with the base opening, beneath the hammer; and

FIGURE 9 is a fragmentary view like FIGURE 8, showing the hammerdepressed and a fastener driven thereby into the paper and the roofboard.

Referring in detail to the drawings, wherein like numerals designatelike parts throughout the several views, the illustrated devicecomprises a longitudinally elongated rectangular base plate It havingend edges, formed centrally with semi-circular fastener spacing andpositioning notches 12, and parallel longitudinal first and second sideedges 14 and 16, respectively. A transversely elongated slide plate 18biases slidably upon the base plate and works endwise through a slot 29formed in the lower end of an upstanding cylindrical boss 22 which isfixed centrally in the upper surface of the base plate 10 and which bosshas extending therethrough a vertical bore 24 which includes acounterbored upper portion 26. The slide plate 18' works, in itsextended or operated position, through a U-shaped guide 28, which risesfrom the upper surface of the base plate 10 near the edge 14 thereof andbetween spaced cleats 2? on the base plate 10. The slide plate 18 has,on its end remote from the guide 28, an upstanding U-shaped wall 30,which surrounds a depression 33 in the surface of the slide plate.

A vertically elongated hammer tube 32 has its lower end seated in thecounterbore 26, as shown in FIGURES 8 and 9, in line with an opening 34,provided in the base plate 10, and the slide plate 18 has a similaropening 36, which, in the operated position of the slide plate, isregistered with the opening 34. A vertically elongated cylindricalhammer 38 works in the hammer tube 32, is shorter than the tube 32, andhas a disc head 40, secured on its lower end, as by means of a stud 42.A vertical guide slot 44 is provided on a side of the hammer 38, andreceives the tip 46 of a screw 48 which is threaded through the sidewall 5d of the tube 32, whereby rotation of the hammer in the tube, outof a predetermined position, is prevented. The side of the hammer 38,opposite the guide slot 44 is formed with a vertical cam slot 52, havinga laterally inwardly and downwardly angled bottom 5'4, which reaches tothe lower end of the hammer 38.

A vertical gusset plate 54 is fixed to and extends radially outwardlyfrom the hammer tube 32,- on which is pivoted, as indicated at 56, theupper end of a pendant slide plate operating lever 58. A ring shaped,generally horizontal lever 60* spacedly surrounds the hammer tube 32 andis fixed, at one end thereof, to the upper end of the lever 58', asshown in FIGURES 8 and 9. On its other end, the lever 60 carries anupstanding arm 62, which is normal to the lever 69, and has, at itsupper end, a laterally inwardly extending earn 64, having a rounded nose66.

In the normal horizontal, untilted position of the lever 60, shown inFIGURE 3, the cam 64 extends inwardly through a vertical slot 68,provided in the hammer tube sidewall 5t and engages in the cam slot 52,with its nose 66 bearing against the cam slot bottom 54, the levers 5-8and 60 are held yieldably in their normal positions, by a coil spring 79which is looped around the hammer tube 32, at a location spaceddownwardly from the lever 60, and is secured to an intermediate part ofthe lever 58, as indicated at 72.

Depression of the piston 38 from its retracted elevated position, shownin FIGURE 3, causes the cam slot bottom 54 to push the cam 64 outwardly,whereby the lever 60 is tilted and the lever 58 is swung outwardly,against the resistance of the spring 70, with its lower end 74 engagedin the depression 32 of the slide plate flange within the wall 39,whereby the slide plate 18 is moved to a position wherein its opening 36is registered with the bore 24 of the boss 22, and with the base plateopening 34, as shown in FIGURES 8 and 9, in advance of full descent ofthe hammer 38, so that a fastener F is positioned in the base plateopening 34, to be driven by the hammer head 40, into tar paper Poverlying a roofing board B, as shown in FIG- URES 8 and 9. Fasteners ofa type suitable to be driven by the instant device can comprise discs 76having downwardly extending prongs 78, as shown in FIGURE 9.

The hammer 38 is operated by means of an upstanding operating rod 8%,which is threaded centrally in the upper end of the hammer, as indicatedat 82, in FIGURE 3. A vertical hammer retracting coil spring 84 iscircumposed on the operating rod 8%, and it and the lower part of therod are enclosed in a vertically elongated tubular spring housing 86,which is shorter than the rod 80. The lower end of the housing 86 isthreaded into the upper end of the hammer tube 32, as indicated at 88,and the rod 80 works through a central opening 90 provided in a lowerend wall 92 of the housing. The upper end of the housing 86 is closed bya threaded plug 94 which has an axial bore as through which theoperating rod 80 works. A preferably spherical handle knob 98 isprovided on the upper end of the rod 80.

The housing 36 has fixed thereon, on the side thereof remote from theslide operating lever 58, a downwardly extending bracket 100 which isspaced from and extends downwardly along the hammer tube 32, andterminates, at its lower end, in a laterally outwardly extendinghorizontal arm 102 having a boss 104 on its underside. A vertical bore106 extends through the arm 102 and the boss 104, through which works avertical elongated fastener feeding plunger rod 108, having a preferablyspherical handle knob 110, on its upper end.

The feeding rod 108 has a cylindrical tubular head 112 on its lower end,which is fixed in place thereon, as by means of a pin 114 extendingtherethrough and through the rod 108. The head 112 has a lateralcircular flange 116, at its lower end, of a diameter to work verticallyin fastener holding tubes 118 of a magazine 120. A coil spring 122 iscircumposed on the rod 108 and on the boss 104, and is compressedbetween the bracket arm 102 and the head flange 116, whereby thefastener feeding rod 108 is biased downwardly.

The fastener magazine 120 comprises a horizontal sector-shaped block 124which has projecting from its straight diametrical edge 126 an upwardlyoffset collar 128, having a central opening 130 which is journalled onthe hammer tube 32, and bears upon the upper surface of the boss 22. Asshown in FIGURE 7, the edge 126 is provided with an axial semi-circularnotch 131 which conformably receives the boss 22, and has aspring-pressed detent 132, seated in a radial socket 134, which isadapted to engage in selected ones of equally circumferentially spacedV-shaped detent notches 136, provided in the outer surface of the boss22, for releasably holding the block 124 in selected rotated positions,wherein fastener holding tubes 118 are registered with the bore 24- ofthe boss 22 and the base plate opening 34. The block 124 is held down inplace, with the lower end thereof permissibly bearing upon the uppersurface of the slide plate 18, by suitable means, such as a snap ring137, seated in and projecting from an external groove 139 in the hammertube 32, and bearing upon the upper surface of the arm 128.

The sector block 124 is formed with a plurality of equallycircumferentially spaced vertical bores 138, here shown as being four innumber, which have counterbores 140, at their upper ends. The fastenerholding tubes 118 have their lower ends removably seated in thecounterbores, as shown in FIGURES 8 and 9, and having open upper ends142.

For bracing the fastener holding tubes 118 accurately in place, abracket 144 is provided, which comprises a horizontal sector-shapedportion 146 which has a radial arm 148, projecting from its straightedge and provided with an opening 150 which receives the hammer tube 32,on a level slightly below the upper ends of the fastener holding tubes118, the arm 148 is suitably secured in place on the hammer tube 32, asby means of upper and lower snap rings 150 and 152, engaged in externalgrooves 154 and 156, provided in the hammer tube, above and below thearm 148. The sector portion 146 of the bracket 144 is provided withevenly spaced semi-circular openings 158 which receive upper portions ofthe holding tubes 118. As shown in FIGURE 4, dual Y-shaped springfriction detents 160 are suitably fixed on the upper surface of thesector portion 146 between adjacent tubes 118, and have divergentlytensioned arms 162 which bear frictionally against adjacent tubes 118,for holding the same down in place in the counterbores 140 of the sectorblock 124 and in the openings 158 of the bracket 144. The sector portion146 of the bracket 144 has single spring friction detents 164 thereon,to bear retainably against the end tubes 118. Diametrically opposedvertical aligning rods 159 and 161 extend between and are connected tothe sector portion 146 of the bracket 144 and the sector portion of theblock 24, and serve to hold the bracket and the block in alignment witheach other so that openings are aligned for accurately securing thetubes 118.

In use and operation, some or all of the tubes 118 having been partiallyor fully filled with fasteners F, with the feeding rod 108 retracted,against the resistance of the spring 122, with its head 112 above theupper ends of tubes 113 being filled, the magazine 120 is manuallyrotated, on the hammer tube 32, so that the spring-pressed detents 132ratchet out of the detent notches 136, and until a desired one of thetubes 118 has been registered with the slide plate opening 36, in thenormal or retracted position of the slide plate 18 and with the feedingrod head 112. The feeding rod is then released, so that its head 112 isforced downwardly by the spring 122, into the registered tube 118, andbears upon the stack of fasteners therein, so that the lowermostfastener F is positioned in the slide plate opening 36. The hammeroperating rod knob 98 is then grasped and the rod pushed downwardly, sothat as explained hereinabove, the slide plate 18 is moved to itsextended or operated position, and the fastener then positioned in thebase plate opening 34 is contacted by the hammer head 40 and is drivendownwardly into the work to be fastened. The knob 98 is then released,so that the spring 84 can retract the hammer 38 upwardly, preparatory todriving another fastener F.

When one fastener holding tube 118 has been emptied of fasteners F, thefeeding rod 108 is elevated to put its head 112 above the tubes 118, andthe magazine is rotated to put another filled tube 118 in place, so thatthe device is reloaded for further fastener driving operations.

Although there has been shown and described herein a preferred form ofthe invention, it is to be understood that the invention is notnecessarily confined thereto, and that any change or changes in thestructure of and in the relative arrangements of components thereof arecontemplated as being within the scope of the invention as defined bythe claims appended hereto. What is claimed is:

1. A portable driver for fasteners, comprising a horizontal base plate,a horizontal slide plate bearing upon the base plate for endwisemovement relative thereto, guide means on the base plate for the slideplate, an upstanding hammer tube mounted upon the base plat and havingan open lower end, said base plate having an opening registered with thelower end of the hammer tube, said slide plate having an opening adaptedt register with the base plate opening and the lower end of the hammertube only in an operated position of the slide plate, an upwardly springretracted hammer slid able in said hammer tube and having an upstandingoperating rod, a lever assembly comprising a horizontal lever pivoted atone end on one side of said hammer tube, a pendant vertical lever fixedto said one end of the horizontal lever, said vertical lever having alower end operatively engaged with the slide plate, the other end ofsaid horizontal lever having a vertical arm thereon carrying a laterallyinwardly extending cam, the adjacent side of the hammer tube having avertical slot through which said cam slides, means precluding rotationof the hammer in the hammer tube, said hammer having a vertical cam slothaving a downwardly and la erally inwardly angled bottom surface, withwhich the cam is engaged, manual depression of the hammer in the hammertube serving to force the cam slot bottom surface against the cam andtilt said lever assembly and move the slide plate to register itsopening with the base plate opening and the lower end of the hammertube, and a fastener magazine registered with the slide plate openingonly in the retracted position of the slide plate.

2. A portable driver for fasteners, comprising a horizontal base plate,a horizontal slide plate bearing upon the base plate for endwisemovement relative thereto, guide means on the base plate for the slideplate, an upstanding hammer tube mounted upon the base plate and havingan open lower end, said base plate having an opening registered with thelower end of the hammer tube, said slide plate having an opening adaptedto register with the base plate opening and the lower end of the hammertube only in an operated position of the slide plate, an upwardly springretracted hammer slidable in said hammer tube, and having an upstandingoperating rod, a lever assembly comprising a horizontal lever pivoted atone end on one side of said hammer tube, a pendant vertical lever fixedto said one end of the horizontal lever, said vertical lever having alower end operatively engaged with the slide plate, the other end ofsaid horizontal lever having a vertical arm thereon carrying a laterallyinwardly extending cam, the adjacent side of the hammer tube having avertical slot through which said cam slides, means precluding rotationof the hammer in the hammer tube, said hammer having a vertical cam slothaving a downwardly and laterally inwardly angled bottom surface, withwhich the cam is engaged, manual depression of the hammer in the hammertube serving to force the cam slot bottom surface against the cam andtilt said lever assembly and move the slide plate to register itsopening with the base plate opening and the lower end of the hammertube, and a fastener magazine registered with the slide plate openingonly in the retracted position of the slide plate, and an upstandingboss fixed on the base plate having a slot through which the slide plateslides, said boss having a vertical bore extending therethrough having acounterbore at its upper end in which the lower end of the hammer tubeis seated.

3. A portable driver for fasteners, comprising a horizontal base plate,a horizontal slide plate bearing upon the base plate for endwisemovement relative thereto, guide means on the base plate for the slideplate, an upstanding hammer tube mounted upon the base plate and havingan open lower end, said base plate having an opening registered with thelower end of the hammer tube, said slide plate having an opening adaptedto register with the base plate opening and the lower end of the hammertube only in an operated position of the slide plate, an upwardly springretracted hammer slidable in said hammer tube and having an upstandingoperating rod, a lever assembly comprising a horizontal lever pivoted atone end on one side of said hammer tube, a pendant vertical lever fixedto said one end of the horizontal lever, said vertical lever having alower end operatively engaged with the slide plate, the other end ofsaid horizontal lever having a vertical arm thereon carrying a laterallyinwardly extending cam, the adjacent side of the hammer tube having avertical slot through which said cam slides, means precluding rotationof the hammer in the hammer tube, said hammer having a vertical cam slothaving a downwardly and laterally inwardly angled bottom surface, withwhich the cam is engaged, manual depression of the hammer in the hammertube serving to force the cam slot bottom surface against the cam andtilt said lever assembly and move the slide plate to register itsopening with the base plate opening and the lower end of the hammertube, and a fastener magazine registered with the slide plate openingonly in the retracted position of the slide plate, said magazine beingrotatably engaged on the hammer tube and having a plurality ofupstanding circumferentially spaced fastener holding tubes having openlower ends, said holding tubes being adapted to be selectivelyregistered with the slide plate opening in the retracted position of theslide plate.

4. A portable driver for fasteners, comprising a horizontal base plate,a horizontal slide plate bearing upon the base plate for endwisemovement relative thereto, guide means on the base plate for the slideplate, an upstanding hammer tube mounted upon the base plate and havingan open lower end, said base plate having an opening registered with thelower end of the hammer tube, said slide plate having an opening adaptedto register with the base plate opening and the lower end of the hammertube only in an operated position of the slide plate, an .upwardlyspring retracted hammer slidable in said hammer tube, and having anupstanding operating rod, a lever assembly comprising a horizontal leverpivoted at one end on one side of said hammer tube, a pendant verticallever fixed to said one end of the horizontal lever, said vertical leverhaving a lower end operatively engaged with the slide plate, the otherend of said horizontal lever having a vertical arm thereon carrying alaterally inwardly extending cam, the adiacent side of the hammer tubehaving a vertical slot through which said cam slides, means precludingrotation of the hammer in the hammer tube, said hammer having a verticalcam slot having a downwardly and laterally inwardly angled bottomsurface, with which the cam is engaged, manual depression of the hammerin the hammer tube serving to force the cam slot bottom surface againstthe cam and tilt said lever assembly and move the slide plate toregister its opening with the base plate opening and the lower end ofthe hammer tube, and a fastener magazine registered with the slide plateopening only in the retracted position of the slide plate, and anupstanding boss fixed on the base plate having a slot through which theslide plate works, said boss having a vertical bore extendingtherethrough having a counterbore at its upper end in which the lowerend of the hammer tube is seated, said magazine comprising a blockhaving a lateral arm provided with an opening rotatably receiving thehammer tube, and bearing upon the top of said boss, said block having aplurality of equally circumferentially spaced vertical bores extendingtherethrough, upstanding fastener holding tubes having open lower endssecured in the block bores.

5. A portable driver for fasteners, comprising a horizontal base plate,a horizontal slide plate bearing upon the base plate for endwisemovement relative thereto, guide means on the base plate for the slideplate, an upstanding hammer tube mounted upon the base plate and havingan open lower end, said base plate having an opening registered with thelower end of the hammer tube, said slide plate having an opening adaptedto register with the base plate opening and the lower end of the hammertube only in an operated position of the slide plate, an upwardly springretracted hammer slidable in said hammer tube, and having an upstandingoperating rod, a lever assembly comprising a horizontal lever pivoted atone end on one side of said hammer tube, a pendant vertical lever fixedto said one end of the horizontal lever, said vertical lever having alower end operativcly enga ed with the slide plate, the other end ofsaid horizontal lever having a vertical arm thereon carrying a laterallyinwardly extending cam, the adjacent side of the hammer tube having avertical slot through which said cam slides, means precluding rotationof the hammer in the hammer tube, said hammer having a vertical cam slothaving a downwardly and laterally inwardly angled bottom surface, withwhich the cam is engaged, manual depression of the hammer in the hammertube serving to force the cam slot bottom surface against the cam andtilt said lever assembly and move the slide plate to register itsopening with the base plate opening and the lower end of the hammertube, and a fastener magazine registered with the slide plate openingonly in the retracted position of the slide plate, and an upstandingboss fixed on the base plate having a slot through which the slide plateworks, said boss having a vertical bore extending therethrough having acounterbore at its upper end in which the lower end of the hammer tubeis seated, said magazine comprising a block having a lateral armprovided with an opening rotatably receiving the hammer tube, andbearing upon the top of said boss, said block having a plurality ofequally circumferentially spaced vertical bores extending therethrough,upstanding fastener holding tubes having open lower ends secured in theblock bores, said boss having an arcuate side provided with equallycircumferentially spaced detent notches, said block having asemi-circular notch conforming to said arcuate side and having aspring-pressed detent for engaging in selected detent notches.

6. A portable driver for fasteners, comprising a horizontal base plate,a horizontal slide plate bearing upon the base plate for endwisemovement relative thereto, guide means on the base plate for the slideplate, an upstanding hammer tube mounted upon the base plate and havingan open lower end, said base plate having an opening registered with thelower end of the hammer tube, said slide plate having an opening adaptedto register with the base plate opening and the lower end of the hammertube only in an operated position of the slide plate, an upwardly springretracted hammer slidable in said hammer tube, and having an upstandingoperating rod, a lever assembly comprising a horizontal lever pivoted atone end on one side of said hammer tube, a pendant vertical lever fixedto said one end of the horizontal lever, said vertical lever having alower end operatively engaged with the slide plate, the other end ofsaid horizontal lever having a vertical arm thereon carrying a laterallyinwardly extending cam, the adjacent side of the hammer tube having avertical slot through which said cam slides, means precluding rotationof the hammer in the hammer tube, said hammer having a vertical cam slothaving a downwardly and laterally inwardly angled bottom surface, withwhich the cam is engaged, manual depression of the hammer in the hammertube serving to force the cam slot bottom surface against the cam andtilt said lever assembly and move the slide plate to register itsopening with the base plate opening and the lower end of the hammertube, and a fastener magazine registered with the slide plate openingonly in the retracted position of the slide plate, and an upstandingboss fixed on the base plate having a slot through which the slide plateworks, said boss having a vertical bore extending therethrough having acounterbore at its upper end in which the lower end of the hammer tubeis seated, said magazine comprising a block having a lateral armprovided with an opening rotatably receiving the hammer tube, andbearing upon the top of said boss, said block having a plurality ofequally circumferentially spaced vertical bores extending therethrough,upstanding fastener holding tubes having open lower ends secured in theblock bores, a bracing bracket fixed to the hammer tube and having alaterally projecting arm having opening means receiving upper portionsof the fastener holding tubes, and friction spring detent means on saidlateral arm retaina'oly engaged with the tubes.

7. A portable driver for fasteners, comprising a horizontal base plate,a horizontal slide plate bearing upon the base plate for endwisemovement relative thereto, guide means on the base plate for the slideplate, an upstanding hammer tube mounted upon the base plate and havingan open lower end, said base plate having an opening registered with thelower end of the hammer tube, said slide plate having an opening adaptedto register with the base plate opening and the lower end of the hammertube only in an operated position of the slide plate, an upwardly springretracted hammer slidable in said hammer tube, and having an upstandingoperating rod, a lever assembly comprising a horizontal lever pivoted atone end on one side of said hammer tube, a pendant vertical lever fixedto said one end of the horizontal lever, said vertical lever having alower end operatively engaged with the slide plate, the other end ofsaid horizontal lever having a vertical arm thereon carrying a laterallyinwardly extending cam, the adjacent side of the hammer tube having avertical slot through which said cam slides, means precluding rotationof the hammer in the hammer tube, said hammer having a vertical cam slothaving a downwardly and laterally inwardly angled bottom surface, withwhich the cam is engaged, manual depression of the hammer in the hammertube serving to force the cam slot bottom surface against the cam andtilt said lever assembly and move the slide plate to register itsopening with the base plate opening and the lower end of the hammertube, and a fastener magazine registered with the slide plate openingonly in the retracted position of the slide plate, and an upstandingboss fixed on the base plate having a slot through which the slide plateworks, said boss having a vertical bore extending therethrough having acounterbore at its upper end in which the lower end of the hammer tubeis seated, said magazine comprising a block having a lateral armprovided with an opening rotatably receiving the hammer tube, andbearing upon the top of said boss, said block having a plurality ofequally circumferentially spaced vertical bores extending therethrough,upstanding fastener holding tubes having open lower ends secured in theblock bores, a bracing bracket fixed tothe hammer tube and having alaterally projecting arm having opening means receiving upper portionsof the fastener holding tubes, and friction spring detent means on saidlateral arm retainably engaged with the tubes, a lateral bracket fixedon said hammer tube and spaced above the holding tubes, said tubeshaving open upper ends, a downwardly spring-pressed feeding rod having ahead on its lower end to bear upon the uppermost of a stack of fastenerswithin a fastener holding tube, said feeding rod being upwardlyretractible above the upper ends of the tubes to enable filling thetubes from their upper ends and to enable the magazine to be manuallyrotated to register selected tubes with the slide plate.

8. A portable driver for fasteners, comprising a horizontal base plate,a horizontal slide plate bearing upon the base plate for endwisemovement relative thereto, guide means on the base plate for the slideplate, an upstanding hammer tube mounted upon the base plate and havingan open lower end, said base plate having an opening registered with thelower end of the hammer tube, said slide plate having an opening adaptedto register with the base plate opening and the lower end of the hammertube only in an operated position of the slide plate, an upwardly springretracted hammer slidable in said hammer tube and having an upstandingoperating rod, a lever assembly comprising a horizontal lever pivoted atone end on one side of said hammer tube, a pendant vertical lever fixedto said one end of the horizontal lever, said vertical lever having alower end operatively engaged with the slide plate, the other end ofsaid horizontal lever having a vertical arm thereon carrying a laterallyinwardly extending cam, the adjacent side of the hammer tube having avertical slot through which said cam slides, means precluding rotationof the hammer in the hammer tube, said hammer having a vertical cam slothaving a downwardly and laterally inwardly angled bottom surface, withwhich the cam is engaged, manual depression of the hammer in the hammertube serving to force the cam slot bottom surface against the cam andtilt said lever assembly and move the slide plate to register itsopening with the base plate opening and the lower end of the hammertube, and a fastener magazine registered with the slide plate openingonly in the retracted position of the slide plate, a verticallyelongated tubular housing fixed on the upper end of the hammer tube,said housing having a lower end wall provided with an axial openingthrough which the hammer operating rod works, a plug engaged in theupper end of the housing having an axial bore through which said rodworks, said rod having a handle on its upper end spaced above saidhousing, a coil retracting spring surrounding said rod within thehousing, the rod having a fixed collar spaced upwardly from the lowerend wall of the housing, said retracting spring being compressed betweensaid collar and the lower end wall of the housing.

9. A portable driver for fasteners, comprising a horizontal base plate,a horizontal slide plate bearing upon the base plate for endwisemovement relative thereto, guide means on the base plate for the slideplate, an upstanding hammer tube mounted upon the base plate and havingan open lower end, said base plate having an opening registered with thelower end of the hammer tube, said slide plate having an opening adaptedto register with the base plate opening and the lower end of the hammertube only in an operated position of the slide plate, an upwardly springretracted hammer slidable in said hammer tube and having an upstandingoperating rod, a lever assembly comprising a horizontal lever pivoted atone end on one side of said hammer tube, a pendant vert-ical lever fixedto said one end of the horizontal lever, said vertical lever having alower end operatively engaged with the slide plate, the other end ofsaid horizontal lever having a vertical arm thereon carrying a laterallyinwardly extending cam, the adjacent side of the hammer tube having avertical slot through which said cam slides, means precluding rotationof the hammer in the hammer tube, said hammer having a vertical cam slothaving a downwardly and laterally inwardly angled bottom surface, Withwhich the cam is engaged, manual depression of the hammer in the hammertube serving to force the cam slot bottom surface against the cam andtilt said lever assembly and move the slide plate to register itsopening with the base plate opening and the lower end of the hammertube, and a fastener magazine registered with the slide plate openingonly in the retracted position of the slide plate, and retracting springmeans extending between and connected to the hammer tube and said leverassembly for retracting the slide plate from extended operated positionto retracted position.

No references cited.

